Hello from the island!
Hello,
My name is John Cunnian and I am a science and French teacher at an independent IB school on Vancouver Island. This is my 8th course in the MET program and I plan on finishing by August of next year. Between teaching and my Masters program, I am also into running and rock climbing. I spend any minute that I can with my wife and two young kids (shown below) who are one and three years old. Sporadically over the last three years, I have done contract work writing online courses, curriculum and assessment materials for companies in Canada and the US. It is through this work that I became interested in the business potential of learning technologies. I look forward to working with all of you and to the challenges that lie ahead!
rebecca42 8:26 pm on September 6, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hey John,
I would love to pick your brain about IB schools. I’ve been interested in them for some time. I’m currently working in a public school in bc, but have always wanted to do more teaching internationally and have heard good things about IB schools in general.
Cheers,
Rebecca
cunnian 8:42 pm on September 6, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Rebecca,
I just made the move to this school after teaching in the public system for the last 7 years. So far the learning curve (whatever that is) is quite steep, but I can already see the value of it. Please feel free to pick my brain, but maybe wait a couple moths for things to ‘congeal’ in my mind a little more.
John
jenbarker 10:04 pm on September 6, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi John,
As a parent of two kids myself, I was wondering if you could share some advice on how you have handled your previous MET classes. Last year I spent one or two nights doing my readings and then on the weekend I attended my six hour Masters class every other Saturday (if you read my intro you will see I wasn’t in MET but another department). The “off” Saturday I would do my Master’s work and spent Sunday with my family. Understanding that this online platform is quite different than attending a class, do you find it is better to do some work each night? Or can I check in each night and then do the majority of work/study/readings on the weekends? I am just a bit worried as this week once I have put my kids to bed and completed necessary work for my daytime job, I have not had much time left. Any advice would be appreciated… Thanks, Jen
cunnian 8:56 pm on September 9, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I have no real method… I work on it when I have any spare time; usually after the kids are in bed. I usually check in on some postings during the day and kind of mull them over until the evening. The asynchronous nature of this program, to me, makes it much more manageable. That said, there have been many late night along the way. You’ll find a rhythm soon.
Hope that helps!
John